>>> plus, are we seeing the first signs of republicans giving ground on the fiscal cliff? oklahoma's tom cole, a member of congress says the grand old party should take president obama's view, extend bush tax cuts for all but the top 2%. that's a sign some republicans may be open to higher rates for the rich. >>> is it possible negotiators could learn something from the most important movie out there right now "lincoln." doris kearns goodwin joins us. >>> let me finish with how lincoln outlawed slavery for good and how he did it using politics. this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> how's this for irony? mitt romney has finally captured 47% of america. remember this video that sunk the romney campaign? >> there are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them. >> well, the cook report points out romney shared a popular vote of this country has fallen to, you guessed it, 47.4%. as expected to fa